True Savior
by TotalAlias
Summary: The ceremony has been left unfinished, and Oz finds himself lost and alone in the Abyss. But where is B-Rabbit?    collab with Smart Angel
1. Wrapped in Darkness

**Smart Angel and TotalAlias' first collab fic! *cheers* We hope you love it(:**

**We do not own Pandora Hearts. If we did, we would be watching Oz and Gil make out right now instead of writing fanfics like this one.**

* * *

_Your sin... Is your very being!_

Finally his legs gave out and Oz fell to the ground. He gasped for air as he frantically turned around, trying to see if something was coming. None of those creatures… Good, he had lost them. He had only been in this place for a few days and he already couldn't stand it.

Oz bit his bottom lip and struggled to stand up. Damn… His legs were throbbing. But he couldn't just stop there. Just a few moments ago he had been attacked, and although it wasn't close now, that did not mean it wouldn't show up at any minute. Plus, he would have been fairly easy to track. Oz had only been running in a straight line… Or that's what it seemed like anyway. With so much darkness surrounding him, it was surprising that he could see anything at all. His vision extended in approximately a 10 foot radius, but his sense of direction was completely screwed.

"A place to hide." he said to himself, "That's what I need right now." Looking to his right, he decided to run in the opposite direction, hoping it would take him back to where he had just come.

The Abyss… That was where that man said he would be taken, so that must be where he was currently. But this hellhole looked nothing like the place Uncle Oscar had described to him. Then again, who had ever been there and back to give an accurate description?

Before his consciousness had deserted him, he had seen a place so full of light that it made him want to cry; its memory even more tear-inducing now that he realized he may never see light again. Everything was murky and damp, the water soaked through his shoes and the darkness soaked through his soul. These _things_ here were terrible, like a living hell, but they were nothing compared to this all-encompassing blackness. It was suffocating, destroying all hope. And there was no one to help him restore it.

Normally, Gil would be this someone, with his cheery face. He'd smile and show him that there was, in fact, a bright side, even if _he_ was it. But not this time. That light was dead. Who would save him from the darkness? Who could? Aside from these horrid monsters, Oz was alone. The feeling was so great that he was driven to seek refuge inside his mind. Unfortunately, the retreat was not to pleasant places. The darkness of the Abyss forced Oz revisit his worst memories and relive his saddest moments, haunted by horrifying thoughts.

He had only landed here because Gil...but that couldn't be. What did that even mean? What was Gil doing with those people dressed in blood? What had they done to him? Whatever they did, Oz inflicted a wound of a far greater caliber. To his best friend, his most important person.

But Gil couldn't have died from just that. Gil was strong beneath his teary exterior, Oz knew it. And besides, if Gil was dead then that would put a damn short timeline on forever. Gil had promised to protect him. He said the two would be together always, no matter what. Oz wasn't sure exactly what that entailed, but he had to believe that. There was nothing else to believe in here.

* * *

Deep in the shadows, it lurked. It slunk through the darkness, twisting its head this way and that in its search. "Where? Where?"

It hopped onto a floating wardrobe and clung to its back. Peeking out from behind, it scanned the area. Nothing. No one. It did not enjoy this game of hide-and-seek. Patience was running thin, but nothing could be done. Food was food and food was necessary. When no meal could suffice, a greater one was sought out.

No luck. It lowered itself from the wardrobe into the thick liquid covering the ground for better concealment and continued its hunt. "I will find you soon enough."

* * *

Aim. Shoot. Bull's-eye. Aim. Shoot. Bull's-eye. Aim. Shoo…

"Raven~!"

Miss.

Raven wasn't exactly in the mood for visitors. He spun around quickly, aiming his gun at the head of the person who dared to call his name in such an irritating sing-song voice. He had a clear shot to the head. Oh, how much he wished he could pull the trigger right now and end that idiot.

But as much as it would cause him so much pleasure to shoot the man in front of him, he knew he couldn't, for that man was Xerxes Break, and he held the key to what Raven desired the most. Ten years ago Break approached him with a proposition: He would spy on the Nightrays and train with them, and in exchange, Break would help him get his precious Master back.

Oz… It had been ten long years of hard work and patient waiting since his beloved friend was tossed into the Abyss. Ten years since he last saw those beautiful green eyes and heard that amazing laugh. It hurt so much. He never thought the absence of his master would cause him so much pain. But what made it worse was the knowledge that Oz was in the Abyss, in that horrible place, because of him! If only he had been strong enough, if he had saved him, Oz would be by his side right now, probably teasing him. Raven never thought he would miss the teasing so much.

And no, Break's teasing was not the same.

"Wow~! A little angry, aren't we?" The white haired man said with that sickening smile still on his face "Why don't we lower the gun, Raven? We are all friends here after all!"

"Are we?" he said, his tone severe. He didn't have time for this today. "What do you want?"

"You are so mean!" Break said "Isn't he mean, Emily?" he asked the doll.

Emily nodded in reply. Maybe one little shot to the shoulder wouldn't hurt. It would do him good.

"Get to the point already," he growled. "What do you want?"

"So rude! Can't I just come to visit? Raven does bake the most faaaaaaaaaabulous~ sweets after all!"

"If that is all you wanted, leave right now!"

"My, ten years certainly have taken their toll on you, little Raven." Break then turned around, his hands in the air. "Fine then! I'll just tell milady to cancel all the preparations… She will be so disappointed, right Emily? To think Raven went back on our plan! Soooooo sad~!"

"Preparations?" his heart stopped. Could it… Could it be? "What preparations?"

"What do you mean '_what preparations'_? Have you forgotten already?" the man looked over his shoulder, a smile on his face "Everything is ready to save Oz-kun from the Abyss! We can do it as early as tomorrow!"

That second lasted an eternity. Save Oz? Tomorrow? It was too much for him to take in just a few seconds. After ten years they were finally ready? After ten damn long years, Raven could finally see his _precious_ Master again? Was it… Was it for real?

"Save… Oz?"

"_That's right~!_" the doll said "_We can go as soon as Raven wants~!_"

In less than one second Raven was already walking towards the carriage. Finally… Finally…!

* * *

Eventually, Oz's aching feet and grumbling stomach persuaded him to stop and rest. He wished there was some food around but he didn't have to willpower to search for any. His head was spinning a bit from fatigue and he was very tired. If he was attacked while in this state he would be eaten for sure. So Oz decided that his best bet was to sit here for a while next to this wall-fragment. As soon as he had regained some energy he would go find something to eat. But he'd only rest for a moment...

He hadn't eaten since the ceremony, however long ago that was. Time was impossible to discern in this place. If enough time had passed, maybe Gil was in recovery by now. Or maybe Oz had only been in the Abyss for five minutes and Gil was still unconscious. He hoped his friend was okay.

"Gil..." exhaustion willed his eyes closed. Despite his predicament, he slept peacefully. Until he felt something slimy drip onto his hair and awoke. Oz looked up slowly, his eyes full of dread.

But he saw nothing there. "I hate this place."

That was creepy. Oz considered running for his life again, but then he analyzed the situation. He was in a flooded psycho playroom. If nasty shit was going to be dripping down from who-knows-where and there was nothing he could about it, then that was just it. No use getting all upset, just accept the situation. So he scooted to the side and leaned back against the wall again. But he did take a quick look around first, just to be safe.

This time, coupled with the liquid, there came a deep, gurgled laugh. Oz raised his eyes again towards what was perhaps the tallest thing he'd ever seen peering down at him over the top of the wall. The eyes were sunken in resembling giant lumps of charcoal; no soul could possibly dwell behind them. Its head was large, round, and pale with many stitches. What was particularly gruesome was that the stitches that sealed its mouth suddenly popped open to let out the words, "At last! I've found you!"

Oz screamed in terror but was ultimately defenseless as the monster jumped over the wall towards him. "This kid looks delicious!" it boomed as Oz was crushed beneath its massive hands.

With no small amount of effort, Oz managed to lift one hand off of him before the creature decided to take a bite. But he wasn't strong enough to lift the other hand without letting the first one fall. And it was so heavy, he could feel his arms giving out as the hand sunk back towards the water.

Damn. He couldn't believe he was going to be eaten. Him. Oz Bezarius, heir to the Bezarius Dukedom, was to meet his fate in the depths of the Abyss at the hands of some unnamed menace, _alone_. He wished there was something he could do, but any moment now those stitches would pop open and that thing would swoop its head down and consume him.

He was right. Seconds later, the blood-soiled threads detached themselves just as he expected. Oz watched closely as the head lowered further.

But because he was focusing upward, he didn't notice the small figure that had been making its way towards him. While the beast was distracted with the tastiness of its coming meal, the figure took its chance, darting forward. It grabbed the hand that Oz was holding and used it to push off the other hand.

Oz gasped and turned toward his savior. But it was even darker than normal in this area and the figure wasn't facing him. It grabbed Oz's hand and took off running. From what Oz could make out, it looked like a person. That was surprising. Everything else he had heard about this place turned out false, he didn't think there were actually people here.

"Hey!" Oz panted, "Who are you?"

"Just keep running!" the voice called back to him.

Oz knew that voice. He could never forget that voice.

"Gil?"

* * *

**Smart Angel: Hello everyone! Nice to meet you! I'm writing a fic together with TotalAlias! I know you are jealous, right? Either way… I have never written a Pandora Heart Fanfic, so if the characters are a little OOC, the fault is probably mine! Sorry! But hopefully this fic will encourage me to write more Pandora fics on my own.**

**TotalAlias: I'm so excited! Finally a multi-chapter ne? And I'm really glad that I get to work with Smart Angel! You should check out her stuff _after you review_...  
****Did you catch that thar? _After you review..._**


	2. Bring Back the Light

**TotalAlias: Update has finally come! This chapter is lo-ong! You guys like long updates, I hope so ^^'  
We would like to thank yami's guardian, Pholo, YakuKikyo, CasperKupo-, willa1313, and "a fan" (lolz at the random names you guys who don't have accounts pick) for reviewing. We love you!**

**Smart Angel: Ah! Also, just to explain something: We do not hate Alice. Really, we don't! I mean, Alice is so cool! It's just that… We love GilXOz a lot more than we like Alice! So much more that we would be willing to take Alice out of the story just to have GilXOz, but…. We still like her!**

**We do not own Pandora Hearts. If we did, this story would be real and Alice would find a way to just fit herself in somehow.**

* * *

"_Gil?"_

It had to be Gil. His height, his voice, the way his hand felt, everything was the same as the Gil he knew. But how did he get here? Oz clutched at Gil's hand and tried to run faster. He had to see his face. When they had finally evaded the giant monster they stopped to hide behind a large teddy bear.

After catching his breath for a moment, Oz moved closer to look Gil in the face. It was him! It was definitely him! Not a day older than he remembered! A smile spread across his face; his Gil was here! His Best Friend! But then Oz saw something that made him noticeably flinch: there was blood on Gil's white suit jacket.

"Young Master, are you alright? I was so worried about you." Gil placed a hand on his shoulder and Oz felt a chill. He hadn't felt a human touch in what felt like so long; he never thought it could feel this… foreign.

"Yeah, I'm fine but…" Oz lunged forward and hugged the boy he'd missed so much. There was that chill again. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but…

He was so happy to see his best friend again. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you. I managed to get up just in time to go in right after when that man sent you."

"But why didn't I see you get up?"

Gil looked mournfully off to the side, "I don't know. You were focused on more important things I guess."

Oz's heart plummeted. How could he have been so careless? After Gil fell from the impact of his injury, Oz moved his focus from him completely. Yes, he had screamed for a moment or two out of shock, but shouldn't he have rushed to his side? Shouldn't he have made sure Gil was okay? Was he even okay now? Sustaining such an injury for so long (however long they had been in this place) could not be good.

But even after all this, Gil had still followed _him_ into the darkness; willingly entered this hell for _him_, found _him_ when he was lost, and saved _his_ life. "Gil. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine Young Master. As long as I'm with you it's alright." Gil smiled weakly at him.

Oz blushed lightly in return, "B-but…what about…" His voice dropped to a whisper, "that?"

The golden-eyed boy glanced down at his chest and sent him a pained look, "This? ..._You did this_."

"G-Gil…I…"

"You ran forward and slashed me, right here." Gil's eyes filled with tears and his voice began to shake. "Why?" he whispered.

Oz didn't know what to say. What could he say? Why did he do it? Why did he put Gil through such pain? Why? "I was…I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me? Oh, like a master does, right? Is this what a master does?" he pointed to his chest and his voice hardened. "This hurts, Oz! I couldn't protect you, and you _didn't_ protect me."

"Stop," Oz whimpered, his voice almost silent. He raised his hands to his ears but he couldn't block it out. The pain, in all forms, it was his fault. He had failed as a master. He had been failing all along. It hurt, but he knew that. But hearing it out loud, from his best friend-turned victim… He couldn't. He was so selfish. He didn't want to hear it. While holding back a sob, he repeated his plea, "Stop."

Perhaps Gil hadn't heard it. Bitter tears slid openly down the boy's face as his voice grew louder and louder, "I always tried my best to be there for you! And you should have been there for me!"

"Please…stop," Oz said again as he began to cry as well.

But Gil didn't stop. What reason did he have? He had been wronged. "Why weren't you there for me?" His voice now was a mere whisper, but Oz could still heart it. When no answer came from the older boy, he raised his voice once more. "Why didn't you help me? Why!"

"SHUT UP!" Oz yelled; digging his fingers into his ears so much it drew blood. Oz had never yelled at Gil before, never! But he couldn't take this. It was so terrible, and so true. Hearing all those harsh realities… and coming from his most precious person… It was too much for him to handle; too much to accept. More and more tears were rolling down his cheeks with every hurtful word his best friend said.

"What's wrong, _Young Master_?"

"_Don't you dare call him that!_" came a voice from the darkness. Then Oz heard a loud crack and a sound like something cutting through the air right between him and Gil. "I missed." The voice said, "_This time_. But the next time I fire you will not be so lucky. I will not show mercy to something that hurts Oz."

Said boy looked in the direction of the voice, but saw nothing. But the same could not be said for Gil, apparently. Oz turned his head to see if his servant was hurt, only to find him glaring into the darkness, teeth bared, like a wild animal ready to attack.

"Leave us alone!" Gil yelled, still glaring at the same spot. Oz looked from Gil to the darkness; then back to Gil and the darkness again. Soon he began to hear footsteps in the watery floor, coming closer… and closer… and closer… Until finally he could make out a shape in that total darkness. It was tall, lean, and almost looked human…

Gil hissed loudly, and his eyes widened. Oz noticed this immediately. Gil was scared of whatever was coming in their direction. Not only scared, but terrified. It happened in less than a second, like a wild instinct. Even though Gil just said those horrible things, things that hurt Oz more than he ever thought possible, the young noble found his legs pushing his body up and running in front of his precious servant. He stood there, between Gil and the mysterious thing advancing towards them; ready to protect his best friend, even if it cost him his life.

"Don't you dare hurt Gil!" He yelled, tears now forgotten, and pure determination burning in his eyes. He was weak, he probably couldn't fight for long. He was tired, and his legs were ready to give out. He had nowhere to hide, no clever plan of escape. He had nothing but the burning desire to protect Gilbert, the most important person in his life, no matter what. And he had every intention of doing just that.

* * *

Raven lowered his gun and growled. Shit. If he hadn't been in the middle of the Abyss, it would be easy to shoot the damn chain and save Oz, but in this darkness… In this suffocating hell, it was impossible to get a clear shot at this distance. He could hardly make out their forms, hardly see ahead of him. If he fired and ended up hitting Oz by mistake… Raven would never be able to forgive himself if he caused more pain to his Master.

So he took a deep breath, his gun now pointing to the ground. A plan… He needed a plan. When he heard the news that he would finally be able to save Oz, he couldn't think about anything else. He didn't pay much attention while Break and Sharon tried to explain to him all the details of how things would work. His plan was simple: Go into the Abyss, find Oz and bring him back. Nice and simple, no margin for error. He had no intention of failing.

But he should have thought things through better. The Abyss was a place full of darkness, which no one had ever come back from alive. It was the place where chains were born and a place rumored to be worse than hell. He was a trained Pandora Agent, he should've known this; he should've been rational. Of course, when it came to Oz, Raven was hardly ever rational, but still… ten years in the Abyss was a long time, the chances of his master being alright, physically or mentally, were only a few in an infinite number of chances. Hell, with monsters chasing him and this darkness surrounding him, it would be a miracle if Oz had not either died or gone completely insane.

No matter how he looked at it, there was no way this mission would be as simple as finding Oz and bringing him back to their world.

When he first arrived in the Abyss, his thoughts raced a thousand miles per second, repeating only the same two words: Save Oz. Save Oz. It didn't matter what happened in the past. Save Oz. It didn't matter how he got to the Abyss. Save Oz. It didn't matter what his family would think, what Pandora would do, or even what he would say to him once they were back. None of it mattered; none of it crossed his mind. Save Oz, save Oz, Save Oz. That was all he could think about: Save Oz.

And while frantically searching the Abyss, he eventually heard familiar voices coming from somewhere near him. He could not see who they belonged to, but he knew those voices. One he recognized only vaguely. It was similar to his own, but higher, smaller and softer. The other… The other voice was Oz's.

He started running. There was no mistaking, that was Oz's voice! He would recognize it anywhere! His precious master; his beloved friend; finally, oh, finally he would see him again! Finally he would stop being just a memory, just a wish. Just wait Oz; he's almost there; almost reaching you!

But then, he stopped dead in his tracks when the voices stopped being mumbles. He could identify words and could understand the conversation. It paralyzed him. The things he heard… The things he heard _his_ voice say… Horrible lies that were painfully rubbing alcohol in open wounds still plaguing his master's heart! How could someone be so cruel as to say that to him? How could Oz believe all those _lies_? And most importantly: How dare Oz believe that _he_, his loyal servant, would say such terrible things? How dare Oz believe that Raven would disrespect him that much? How _dare_ he believe that Raven hated Oz, when that couldn't be any farther from the truth!

"SHUT UP!" He heard his Master scream, pulling him out of his trance. He ran faster than ever. It had to be a chain. A chain was using his image to gain his Master's trust and then kill him. A chain was hurting his Master while using _his_ name. It was trying to weaken Oz until he was so vulnerable he wouldn't be able to fight. He had to run, he had to be fast. He had to save Oz.

"What's wrong, _Young Master_?"

And that did it. Without thinking Raven said something which he couldn't remember and then fired. Only a second later did he realize how stupid he had been. It could have hit Oz! But he didn't hear the sound of anyone actually get hit by the bullet, which was something to be thankful for.

And now he stood, with Oz right between him and the monster that plans to end his life. Despite the gravity of the situation, it warmed Raven's heart to think that Oz was ready to lose his life to protect him, even after believing he had been that cruel… But it also infuriated him that his best friend was so willing to throw his life away for something so trivial as a mere servant's safety. He wasn't worth it, and yet… he felt like the happiest man in existence to know that Oz judged him to be.

"Don't you dare hurt Gil!" Oz yelled. Raven's heart was mixed with sorrow and happiness. Happiness, because that was the first time his master addressed him directly in ten years. And sorrow, for those words were not meant for him, for Gilbert, but for someone Oz didn't recognize; someone Oz saw as an enemy.

His gun now pointed towards the ground, he stepped closer, never taking his eyes from the two blurred figures.

"Don't move!" Oz commanded with a strong voice. "Don't hurt us!"

"I would never hurt you!" he yelled back, before thinking, "Never. Not you, Oz."

"You just shot at us," he said. "Do you really think I would believe you?"

"It wasn't you who I was aiming at…" …Raven mentally slapped himself. Well that wasn't exactly the best thing to say.

"And I will _not_ let you hurt Gil!"

He stayed quiet. How? Just how could he convince Oz that the boy behind him was not Gil? It was him! He was Gil! He was Gil, although time had taken its toll. _He_ was Gil, and Oz was _his_ Master, not that monster's!

Luckily, he didn't have to think about that for long. The chain started to chuckle darkly behind Oz, and the blonde turned around, probably wondering about "Gil's" strange behavior. Raven reacted fast. In less than a second his body was already moving, much like Oz's had earlier, ready to protect the most treasured person in his life.

Soon Raven was close enough that he could actually see Oz. The blond watched as the monster started to change, revealing its true form.

Oz's eyes were wide, not paying attention to Raven. "G-Gil…?" He called, his voice trembling.

The chain laughed, louder this time. "Try again." it said, and made a grab for Oz's neck.

But just before it made contact with Oz's skin, it leapt back, growling and screaming in pain. Clutching its arm, it looked down to find a bullet wedged in its arm. Raven was now by Oz's side, and with firm arms he quickly but gently pushed the boy behind him.

"T-that's…"

"That's a chain." Raven explained hastily "Monsters that are born here in the Abyss."

"Ch-chain?" He asked "But he was… He looked like Gil a second ago."

"That kind of chain can see your memories and uses them against you." Raven said, still glaring at the chain "It only temporarily took Gil's form, it was never actually him."

"T-Then Gil… is still hurt… Is… Is he alive?"

"Yes."

Before the conversation could go any farther, the Chain, having deemed its wound trivial, charged towards them again.

"Duck!" Raven ordered, putting his hand over Oz's head and pushing the boy down. The Chain missed them by only a few inches, and Gil started shooting at it again. "Hide!"

"What about you?" Oz asked, looking at the chain.

"I can fight it, you can't! Don't worry about me." The chain stood up once again, and started running towards them. "Just hide!"

The boy took a defensive stance beside Raven. He gritted his teeth and prepared for the chain's next advance. "But I can't just–"

"Yes, you can! Go!"

Oz looked at the chain and then at Raven, and hesitantly obeyed. He ran to a floating rocking chair about ten feet away from the battle: far enough to be safe, but still close enough to still watch them fight.

Raven looked back over his shoulder. Good, Oz was at a safe distance. He then turned back to the chain.

"I'll make you pay" he snarled, "for making Oz hurt."

"You aren't one to talk." It began to circle him, "You've made that boy hurt much more than I ever could." It lowered its voice so that only raven could hear. "You're the reason why he's here."

Having absolutely no chance of steeling himself, Raven didn't know whether to scream or cry. But his body reacted faster than his common sense, and with a yell, he ran towards the monster. The chain spoke nothing but the truth. But he could fix it, right? That was why he was here.

And he had to destroy this thing. As soon as he got closer to it he'd go in for the kill. But Raven was not so lucky, and instead of him inflicting the deadly shot, the chain did. With a simple swing of an arm it threw Raven's body several feet away. While he was in midair, the gun slipped from his fingers, flying somewhere to the darkness.

"_Shit!_" was all he could think, before his body hit the ground.

* * *

Oz watched everything with panic in his eyes. The man who came to save him had just hit the ground, and was no longer moving. No… He couldn't be dead… Could he? No… Oz did not want that. For someone to die because of him, because they were trying to save _him_…!

_No! Wake up! You can't die! Wake up! It's coming towards you, do something! Get up! Move! Don't stay there! Get up!_

"GET UP!" he yelled. The monster stopped dead in its tracks. It turned towards Oz, and grinned.

"I'll take care of him later, _Young Master_." And with that it ran towards Oz.

Oz ran away in a random direction. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he couldn't allow this monster hurt that man. It was after him, and not anyone else! He wouldn't allow an innocent bystander get hurt.

He continued running, but the large legs of the chain covered the head start Oz had in short time. Before he knew it, the young heir was half running and half dodging from attacks.

"_What am I supposed to do?_" he thought, gasping for air. "_Think! Come on, Oz! Think!"_

His foot caught on something in the murky water, and Oz fell to the ground. That was it, he was done for. Oz ducked his head and squeezed his eyes shut, but the monster ran right past him, unable to stop in time. Oz looked down and saw what he had tripped over: The man's gun.

His green eyes looked up. The monster was turning back towards him. He scrambled for the weapon. It was coming closer. He pointed towards it, hands shaking. The monster was running. Oz closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger.

Bang.

Oz opened his eyes to find that the monster was now right in front of him, completely unfazed. Well damn, of course he would miss at a time like this. The monster grabbed Oz and held him suspended in the air, laughing cruelly at the boy's terror. It squeezed him, making breathing difficult. His vision was becoming cloudy, his head spinning. He tried to free himself, but the chain was far stronger, and without much oxygen his body could hardly move.

For the third, and hopefully last, time, that was it. He was going to die, there in the Abyss, without ever knowing if Gil was okay or not. He was going to die… If only he could see Gil once more…

"Oz!" he heard someone yelling. Gathering his last bit of strength he turned to the voice and saw the man, back up and running towards him. He smiled. Heh… Only now did he notice… Golden eyes and black hair… Just like Gil.

"Run… Idi…ot…" he said, his voice barely audible. He then let go of the gun, letting it fall in front of the man's feet. "Run…"

* * *

Raven could not hear what Oz was saying, but he saw him drop the gun. He grabbed it and pointed at the chain's head.

Aim. Fire…

Right between the eyes.

The Chain shrieked and let go of Oz. Raven caught him before his body hit the ground, and then kneeled. He didn't look up as the chain writhed and moaned and eventually turned to dust, all his focus was on the boy in his arms. Pale skin, the same clothes he wore years ago with fresh blood, and his green eyes shut.

"Come on Oz…" he said, his voice pleading, sounding almost like his old 14 year old self. "Please, Oz! You can't die here! I finally came to save you! I… I can't lose you now! Please…!" large tears welled and cascaded down his cheeks "Please, _Young Master_…_Boku_... I need you…"

He closed his eyes, causing more tears to fall. Tears he had built up for ten years finally reached a breaking point. He'd tried so hard… No… He couldn't fail…. He couldn't afford to fail… What would he do without Oz? He was nothing without him.

Raven felt something graze his cheek. A ghostly touch, lingering, but feather-light. He opened his eyes only to find himself staring into bright green eyes, half opened, accompanied by a small smile.

"Gil…" Oz said, "Such a cry… baby… Worry too much… I'm… I'm… Fine…"Then the hand fell and the eyes closed.

The panic lasted a second, before he realized Oz was still breathing. Of course he must be exhausted… Ten years in the Abyss, without enough food or sleep on top of fighting chains must have really taken its toll on the boy's body. He was alive. Unconscious, but alive.

And soon they would be out of this place.

* * *

**Smart Angel: Here is the update! Didn't take long, now, did it? If you liked it, please review! They are appreciated! Plus, if you don't, we'll kill Oz and keep Gil alive, so they'll never be together again! So review! =D**

**TotalAlias: Aah! Smart Angel, don't do that! I want Oz alive! Readers, please review and save Oz because I cannot! Oz sama! Are you holding out okay?**

**Oz: *unconscious***

…

**TotalAlias: …Okay! Round of applause for CasperKupo- for being the only lovely reviewer to figure out where we were heading with this chapter! *claps***


	3. Rendezvous

**TotalAlias: Hello everyone!**  
**Smart Angel: Long time no see!**  
**TotalAlias: But that's okay because we're back! We hope you enjoy this chapter because we personally adore it :D**

**If we owned Pandora Hearts, we would have killed Lily and not Fang! D:**

-Chapter 3: Rendezvous-

* * *

"My, my! Raven's cakes are simply faaaaaaabulous~! No others can compare!"

"Will you shut up?" Raven asked, raising his head to look at the red-eyed man, who was just about to finish his… Wait. Were his eyes fooling him or were there really seven emptied plates of cake stacked on the table? "I don't want you to wake up Oz."

"Aww... Raven is no fun, right Emily?" Break asked the doll with a fake pout.

"No fun at all!" answered the puppet (at least, Raven thought it was a puppet...), causing Break to laugh.

"Break, please." A calm female voice said. Both men looked in that direction to see Sharon Rainsworth entering the room, closing the door very quietly behind her "We have no idea what Oz went through in the Abyss. His body and mind are very delicate at present. Let us make sure that he gets all the rest he needs."

Break blinked, before smiling. "But of course, Milady~! I shall speak very," and then he changed his tone to a whisper, "quietly from now on."

"Don't we wish it were true?" Raven said wistfully, shaking his head and returning his gaze to its original focal point: his beloved master, Oz Bezarius.

It had been almost two days since they'd returned together. It was hard to believe, but Raven had successfully visited the Abyss and returned, bringing with him his regained master. Since then he hadn't left the young boy's side. Right now, he was sitting at the edge of the bed where Oz lay covered by the raven's black coat. With gloved fingers passing through the golden locks every now and again; he was completely at a loss as to how he had ever lived without them.

"Soooo," Break started again, and Raven sighed. He knew full well that a few moments of peace with that man in the room was too much to ask for. "What are we going to tell Sleeping Beauty once Prince Raven kisses her and brings her back to the living?"

"WHAT?" Raven's face exploded into such a deep shade of red that there may or may not have been any blood left to circulate through the rest of his body.

"Shhh!" Emily said "You have to be quiet, Raven! Or you'll wake up the kid!"

"It's true." Break said, nodding his head in agreement, "Oz-kun needs to rest for his own health! Besides, it's rude to yell~"

"Very Bad~!" the doll agreed.

_Okay Raven, just relax. Nothing good will come out of murdering Xerxes Break. Correction: The good things that will come out of murdering Xerxes Break are not worth the jail time._

"Raveeeeen~? Do you think you can make more cake for us? And teaaaa? I sure would hate to have nothing to greet the Young Master with once he wakes up! It's not proper etiquette to receive your guests without sweet treats, you know~!"

_Maybe they were worth it after all…_

* * *

_"Young Master," Oz eyes slowly opened, but saw nothing. All was black._

_"Young Master!" As his eyes adjusted, he made out a figure running towards him. But he didn't need to see to recognize that voice._

_"Gil!" he called back to him. Gilbert advanced slowly, although he was running. But that didn't matter. Oz was so relieved; he had missed his best friend so much that it hurt! He called his name once again._

_In a flash Gil was at his side, gold eyes flashing in the darkness, "Young Master." But this was not the boy Oz knew. His hands were cold and his voice was no longer innocent. Again he repeated himself as a feral grin made its way across his face. Suddenly Gil had many arms and they all wrapped themselves around him. Oz tried to struggle away, but was held firm in the vice-like grip. "Young Master," it chuckled, exposing a wide array of too-sharp teeth. Just when the arms had become like chains Oz couldn't fathom, but the real question was when his most precious friend had become this._

_"Gil, stop," Oz pleaded. "Help me." But what a pointless plea it was. Of course Gil would not save him if Gil was his attacker. _

_"Young Master," it called again, its head reaching so close to Oz's that the blonde noble could see it's manic eyes. _

_There was no way out. But before he could mentally resign to his fate, the many limbs turned into a single pair of arms, cradling him. Shocked, Oz realized he had closed his eyes in fear, and opened them slowly to look up into an all new pair of golden eyes._

_"Young Master," the raven-haired man smiled down at him as he held him close._

And then he disappeared. He left and returned in an instant. But now it was no longer dark. Darkness… When had it gone away? When had he reached the light? When had he left the cold, wet ground and arrived in this place? And where was Gil?

Someone was standing over him. His back was turned. He was tall, with a white shirt and wavy black hair. Wavy black hair. Gil. Oz reached forward, "Gil?"

But when the man turned around, it wasn't Gil. The eye color was the same, but Gil's eyes were soft and innocent. The eyes of this man were hardened and piercing, piercing though Oz's own.

Oz cowered at the intensity of the gaze and the man averted his as well. He turned away, taking the warmth of his black coat with him. "Break," he said, "he woke up."

"Ah, good morning, Oz-kun~."

It was morning? Then where…? "Morning…?"

"Well, it isn't really morning. Evening just set in, actually." This man, Oz had seen him before. He was with Sharon at his coming of age ceremony. And there was Sharon beside him. They were here? And where was he? How did they…?

But that didn't mean anything. The haziness fogging Oz's mind cleared quick as lighting and he was up and out of bed. He took a defensive stance, keeping the bed as a barrier between himself and the others. "Who are you? Who are you really? I won't be fooled."

But the white-haired man only laughed, "No need be so guarded, Oz-kun. You've returned to your world. Welcome back."

Returned? He didn't remember leaving the Abyss at all. But that explained why he was here, along with these people and that man from the Abyss. That man in black had said that those chains could only use memories, and Oz had never been here before, so it must be real then, right? So what happened? Did that man bring him back? Was he back in his own world?

"I am Xerxes Break, a servant of the Rainsworth dukedom." He gestured to the man who had slunk off into a corner, "You've already met Raven. And this little child is Emily." Break moved his finger to toy with his doll.

"Nice to meet you, kid!" the doll cackled at him. Oz didn't respond; he hadn't actually expected the doll to talk. And this Break character was suspicious. He had such an air about him, and yet he had a jovial tone and kept a doll on his shoulder. The blond glared at the man in question.

Break intercepted the look and sent back one of incredulousness, "What? This really is the world you departed from, Raven went in and got you. We're here to help." And then a smile spread across Break's face that could only be described as that of a creeper, "You can trust us."

"That's just the thing," Oz said, eyeing them suspiciously, then opening an equally distrustful smile. "I don't know if I can."

"Hm, well then, why don't you have a bite to eat while you make up your mind~? I'll bet you haven't eaten in ages."

Eating with them seemed pretty safe. Even if they weren't trustworthy, they wouldn't have retrieved him from the Abyss if they didn't want him safe, or at least alive. For now, that is. So he lightened up his attitude and moved around the bed to the table where they all sat down. If he didn't treat these people right, they wouldn't tell him anything. That wouldn't do; information was what he needed most. With information, he could come up with an escape plan and go back to his own estate.

Besides, he was starving.

"How are you liking that cake, Oz-kun?"

Oz nodded affirmatively, making unintelligible noises around his mouthful. "So," he said, after swallowing, "how did you manage to get me out?"

"Good question." Break began as he reached over and speared a rather large portion of Oz's cake onto his fork. "That was a bit of teamwork between Raven-over-there's chain and Milady's chain. They are both quite skilled at transporting people." Then he shoveled the cake into his mouth.

_You ask how it tastes so you can take some for yourself!_ But Oz recovered from his tragic loss fairly quickly. The mention of chains made him a bit uneasy. "Chains? Like the ones in the Abyss?"

"Yes, except that these chains have contracts. When a human contracts with a chain, he receives the power to utilize the chain's abilities at will and for his own purposes. In exchange," Break explained, now digging his fork into Oz's tea, which he had been planning to drink, and then putting the utensil back into his own mouth "the chain is provided with passage into and a means of staying in this world."

"Okay, so why do you want to help me?"

At this, Break snuck a glance at Raven with a knowing smile, who pretended not to notice. He then looked back to Oz, "Oho! So many questions! Ah well, that's alright. Say, Oz-kun, how much do you know about the organization known as Pandora?"

"Only the name. They're involved in national security and preserving public order, right?"

"That's correct on the surface. But Pandora's real purpose is to research the Abyss and to apprehend illegal contractors."

"Illegal?"

"Yes, it is illegal to make contracts through any means other than the protocol implemented by Pandora. Chains are very dangerous, as you know, so it is best to stay under

Pandora's jurisdiction." Break finished up his statement simultaneously with his third slice of cake. "Anyhow, the three of us work for Pandora. And your survival and actual return from the Abyss is quite the accomplishment. We would like to hear all about it."

Feeling he had nothing to lose, Oz told them. He told them about the murky water, the darkness, the chains. And when he finished, Break was staring at him as if he had expected it all.

"Thank you very much, Oz-kun~! Now if you're all finished with your food you should get some sleep."

Sharon rose from her chair, "I'll show you upstairs, Oz-sama."

* * *

Raven followed quietly behind Oz as Sharon pointed out everything of importance in the house. He didn't have anything better to do and he wanted to stay as close to Oz as possible. They'd been apart for so long and Oz had only just returned. Raven never wanted to part from him ever again, even for such a trifling thing as this.

But he had to wonder how comfortable Oz would be with that. Some random old pervert following him around all the time, it would surely get annoying. No matter how much Raven wanted to make up for lost time, Oz didn't know that any time had been lost. Perhaps it was best if he didn't crowd him too much.

"...I mean, Raven did save me and all, but I don't know anything about you guys." The sound of his name brought the gold-eyed man back into the conversation, although he didn't join it.

He listened as Oz continued, "For all I know, it could only be because you need me alive for something. I don't know what you guys want me for. And Break has been nothing but cryptic and vague. You're hiding things from me, so I have no reason to trust any of you. Even you, Sharon-chan, sorry," Oz offered her a sheepish smile.

Sure, apologize to the pretty girl. That was so like him. The thought made Raven smile, but it didn't take away from the weight of the situation. Oz didn't trust them. Oz didn't trust him. Of course, that was expected. The boy had spent ten years in the Abyss, attacked by chains - one that looked like his best friend - only to be saved by what he thought was a complete stranger. And then he was brought to a house where his first greeting came from Xerxes Break. Those were not, Raven had to admit, very good reasons to trust anyone in this house. But he had at least hoped that... No, Oz was a smart kid. They really couldn't be trusted. Especially not Raven, not after what he'd done to Oz's family.

"Oz sama!" Sharon cried. Raven was pulled out of his thoughts just in time to catch his master before he hit the ground.

* * *

Oz opened his eyes. His head hurt. For a moment he had forgotten where he was and what happened, but then the memories began flooding back in. Sharon had been showing him the house. The last thing he remembered was the room spinning and the maroon color of the rug. And now he was lying in bed. She did say something earlier about his body and mind being in a fragile state since he had just returned from the Abyss, but… God, Oz didn't think he would end up fainting! That was assuming that he did, in fact, faint. And in front of Sharon-chan, to make it all worse!

He looked around, and saw himself in a new room. Finally deciding to sit up, Oz noticed a black coat over the blankets, as if they weren't enough to keep him warm. Black coat… So it was that Raven guy again, huh? Well, if this entire situation wasn't strange enough… It seemed that whenever something happened to him, Raven was right there to make sure he was okay.

Just like Gil…

Oz shook his head to clear it of the thought and looked around once more. He didn't even bother to hold back his smirk as he realized he was alone. Perfect. Now would be the perfect time to explore the house and discover which room offered the best escape route. He had meant to look during his tour, but he was with Sharon, and Raven had been stalking behind him the entire time.

Swinging onto his feet, Oz quickly ran towards the door. He looked left, then right, and the exploration began.

Open one door and see a closet. That wouldn't help him escape at all! Next door on his right was a bathroom… Okay, so there was progress, even if it still wasn't useful. The next door led, to Oz's amazement, to an actual room! But as he went to check the window, he found himself on the second floor… Yeah… If he wanted to escape in one piece, jumping from the second floor wouldn't do. He needed to find the stairs.

Once he had oh so stealthily made his way downstairs, Oz took his chances and opened the first door he saw. Well, it seemed for once luck was on his side, for it was a room. Looking over his shoulder to check if anyone was coming, he slipped silently into said room. It was big, to say the least. Large windows covering one of the walls, and the other three were covered with books and expansive paintings. By the coffee table there were two sofas and an out-of-use wardrobe, Oz suspected that it was used as a sitting room.

The blond boy walked around the perimeter, examining each part of the room with care. The window was close enough to the ground that he would be able to jump without getting hurt too badly, although this room seemed to be located in the front of the house, which didn't make for a great escape passage. If he wanted to run without being seen, it would be best if he slipped out through the back.

Sighing, Oz closed the window. Maybe it wasn't what he'd hoped, but at least it was an improvement, right? He now knew that this was the front of the house, and probably the right floor to make his escape. Now all he had to do was search for the right room and…

"Ohhh~! Don't make that face, Raven! You're scaring Emily~!" said a voice, coming from the hallway. Oz froze. Damn it…! He recognized that voice! If they caught him there trying to escape, who knows what would happen?

Biting his lip, Oz looked around for a place to hide. The wardrobe, he decided, would have to do for the time being. He didn't have Gil to guard his position, but he was sure that after hiding from Mrs. Kate and later all those… chains in the Abyss, he could manage to evade a questionably sane man and his doll.

As soon as he closed himself inside, the door opened, and he could hear two sets of footsteps come into the room. Break, he thought, was one of them. And the other was most likely Raven: the guy he was talking to, the one who had saved him.

"Come on, Raven! You know that we can't do things this way without Pandora getting suspicious." Break said, and Oz could almost picture him lounging on one of the sofas, fingers spinning the lollipop that was inside his mouth.

"I don't care, Break, we're not involving Oz in Pandora's business!" the man said, obviously angry.

"There you go again, over protecting the boy!" he sighed dramatically. "He managed in the Abyss for quite some time without you, don't you think he can handle a mission or two?"

Oz blinked. Missions? Was he going to become a member of Pandora?

Raven was silent for some time, and Oz couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. "I won't…" he said slowly "I won't let Oz get hurt again. I know he suffered a lot, and it is mostly my fault, but I'm not going to let anything bad happen to him."

"Do you really think he blames you for what happened all those years ago?" Break asked with curiosity.

"Even if he doesn't, it doesn't change the fact that it was my job to protect him no matter what, and I failed." Oz tried to lean forward, as much as he could without making much noise, so he could hear them better. Was he mistaken, or was Raven saying that he was going to protect Oz, no matter what? Why would he help a brat he only just met? Just like in the Abyss, it made no sense to him. Why was Raven so willing to risk his own life for Oz's safety?

And why… Why did Oz feel he could trust those words?

"This is the best way to protect him, don't you think?" the other man said "After all, Pandora may get suspicious as to why we brought him back from the Abyss. Involving him in missions and creating a fake motive would be our safest bet."

"I don't care what Pandora will think!" Raven raised his voice considerably. "I won't let Oz participate in those missions! They are too dangerous! He could get killed or sent back to the Abyss! I don't want him to suffer like that again!" There was a pause, and when it ended, Oz had to strain to hear his next words. "And if Pandora has a problem with that, I'm more than ready to take on all of them, for the safety of my master."

Break made one more statement as Raven's footsteps retreated from the room, "My, my~! You really are one loyal servant, aren't you?"

Oz was only faintly aware of Break's chuckle as he said, "What do you think about that, Oz kun?" And then he left the room as well.

* * *

Long past midnight, Raven stalked through the halls of the Rainsworth mansion. Sleep was out of the question; too much was on his mind. So much had happened all at once; he needed some time alone to get his head on straight. But one thing was bothering him more than others.

_Oz…he doesn't trust me? He should know I won't hurt him, after that fight to save him from the chain. He even fought on my side and tried to defend me. Perhaps it was only self-preservation. Besides, he's already seen one impostor. And I don't even look like the Gil he remembers. Ironic, that the one you recognize is the one that's fake. And what does the original do in this situation? How does he prove himself? But if that was the point I would have told him already. I don't want him to know. I don't want him to be disappointed. I don't want him to know what I have become; I only want him to trust me._

_What will it take to gain his trust?_

Footsteps. Footsteps were crunching on the gravel outside. Swift and silent, Raven followed the noise out to the garden. He instinctively pointed his gun at the culprit, but upon the nearly instant recognition that followed, he felt more than foolish. "Oz?"

"Raven?" A smirk spread across Oz's face, "Oh, come on, Raven. Am I really that scary?"

Raven quickly lowered his gun, feeling sheepish. "You'd be surprised," he muttered.

That didn't make any sense, but Oz didn't dwell on it. "What are you doing up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. What are you doing?"

"I wanted to see the sunrise." Oz smiled, and, seemingly impossible as it may be, his smile lit up the night.

Raven couldn't help but smile sheepishly back at him, "Well you won't see it here. This garden faces South. I'll show you a better place to watch the sunrise."

The golden-eyed man led the way back into the house. Once they were back inside, he turned to Oz and put a finger to his lips, "Ssh."

Obviously. Everyone was asleep; of course Oz knew to be quiet. But now the gesture made him want to laugh. Great job, Raven, great job.

Oz resisted temptation and the pair slipped quietly through the house, making their way to the library on the third floor. Oz wondered how he could better see a sunrise in a library, but he didn't want to ask, lest he receive another "Ssh."

He found the answer to his question soon enough when they reached a corner of the library and the doors behind it that led out to a balcony. "Wow, I never would have known this was here." The balcony was small. It had limited walking space and was furnished with only a modest rocking love-seat. Compared to the grandeur of the rest of the estate, this balcony was surprisingly plain. But the quaintness of it was inviting all the same. So the two sat down and awaited the sunrise.

To lessen the awkwardness of the situation, the raven decided to strike up a conversation. "So, uh, how is it?"

Oz looked at the older man with an amused smile. What the hell was Raven talking about? How was what? Sitting next to him? Waiting for the sun to come up? "How is what?"

"You know, being…back?"

"Being back?" he blinked in surprise, the amusement gone. "It's, um…great, I guess. I don't know. I mean, I'm glad to be back, but I don't really know what's going on here. I don't know if I can trust these people, if I should be on my guard or not."

Raven could understand that. "Break is a little crazy, but he's fine, really. Quite frankly, I didn't start to trust him until years after we met. And Sharon's trustworthy too."

"It took _years_?" Oz laughed "That isn't very promising… But you know, it didn't take long for me to trust you."

"W-what?" Gil sputtered.

"I heard you talkin' about me," Oz's eyes sparkled with mischief as he danced around his words.

Okay, now this was a serious subject. What did Oz hear? Raven reviewed his previous conversation with Break. He didn't quite remember it word for word, he hoped Oz hadn't heard anything _important._ "When! What did I say?"

The blond leaned back against the seat, swinging his legs back and forth and enjoying the look on Raven's face "I think you said something about me being the coolest person you've ever met and I shouldn't be handed over to Pandora…Something like that."

Raven let out a relieved sigh, and then chuckled, "I see. So you're easily swayed by compliments?"

"Only when they're true… I just feel like I can trust you, you know? It's hard to explain but… I'm just following my gut feeling." Oz tapped his gut for emphasis.

The raven laughed again. He'd never laughed like this while Oz was gone. He was so happy. God, he'd missed him. He'd missed everything about him and now… he was right here, by side. He almost couldn't believe it.

Raven removed his hat and set it none too gently on Oz's head. Underneath the hat, he noticed that the boy's face had been dimly illuminated. "Looks like the sun's coming up."

"Yeah… Wow, it's amazing."

The black-haired man watched Oz' awestruck expression as the dark sky slowly lightened. It made sense that he would be so eager to see the sun come up. He had missed so many mornings, ten year's worth of mornings. Ten years worth of light. Even if he didn't know it. Oz had no idea just how much light he had missed out on. Maybe that was why this moment was so striking for him.

And Raven, Raven was just glad that now he too could watch the sunrise again. His own light had returned. And he wouldn't let it leave his side ever again "Oz…I should…I should tell you…"

But when he looked over, Oz was not listening attentively as he had hoped. Oz was sound asleep, leaning gently on his shoulder. And Raven couldn't help but smile as the sun made its slow ascent.

* * *

**Smart Angel: We are so sorry it took us so long to write this chapter! But hey, it's long, okay? We hope everyone liked it! And thank you for all the reviews, since you were all so nice, Oz is going to live... At least for now. Please, review!**

**TotalAlias: _For now_? Angel chan! I thought you were over that D: **

**Oz: Hopefully by next chapter, they will be over threatening you guys for reviews. But they'd greatly appreciate your feedback! *cowers***

**TotalAlias: Oh and by the way, if there's anything that wasn't resolved, or doesn't seem like it makes any sense, that's just because they won't be addressed until the next chapter. Don't let it bug you, we hope to write a lot faster next time ^^'**


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